Horikita Suzune's Confused Thoughts? Changing Classes? Expulsion! Akiyama Shin's Priorities!

As night deepened, the shadows behind the school building seemed to grow still and heavy.

Akiyama Shin watched Horikita Suzune, who still hadn't recovered from her shock and embarrassment.

He had no intention of comforting her or explaining himself.

As far as he was concerned, he had achieved his purpose here.

First.

He had shown Horikita Manabu his fangs and his abilities, making it clear that he wasn't some ordinary new student who could be pushed around at will.

That would lay the groundwork for further deals or contests in the future.

Second.

And most importantly.

He had managed to squeeze two million points out of the Student Council President, padding his own coffers.

As for how Horikita Suzune felt at that moment, or whether she had been shaken, it wasn't among his priorities.

He had promised to protect her, but that didn't mean looking after every little detail like a nanny. It was more an investment based on her value, along with a limited sense of responsibility.

For someone like Horikita Suzune, who was overconfident and somewhat rigid in her thinking, a measured setback and the chance to work through her feelings alone were the only way to guide and toughen her.

If she couldn't get past even this little setback on her own, she wasn't worth investing any more effort in.

So Akiyama Shin left without the slightest hesitation. He didn't even spare another glance at Horikita Suzune, still standing there with her expression shifting from one emotion to another. He turned and headed straight for the dormitory.

"Wait!"

Horikita Suzune called from behind him, her voice urgent, her breathing still unsteady.

Akiyama Shin didn't stop, though he did slow down a little.

Horikita Suzune hurried to catch up and fell into step beside him. After a few seconds of silence, she couldn't help asking the question on her mind.

"How... did you find me here?"

Her voice was full of confusion, along with a complicated feeling she couldn't quite describe.

Had he been keeping an eye on me all along?

Or...

Had I really been that obvious? Had he figured everything out just from my slight reaction in the dorm?

And... what he'd said when he showed up...

"I'll protect you, Suzune-chan..." It sounded so... embarrassing!

But what Horikita Suzune found even more mortifying was that she had just used Akiyama Shin as an example in front of her brother, instinctively bringing him up to argue that Class D wasn't full of useless people...

Didn't that amount to admitting that, in Horikita Suzune's eyes, Akiyama Shin was already strong enough to serve as a benchmark?

Although Horikita Suzune had indeed acknowledged Akiyama Shin's abilities, she had never intended to show it so plainly, especially in front of the very person she was talking about, who had heard it with his own ears. It was mortifying!

Akiyama Shin glanced sideways at her, taking in the mixture of curiosity, embarrassment, and frustration on her face.

His tone was flat, betraying no particular emotion, as if he were simply stating the obvious.

"You were too obvious in the dorm."

At his words, Horikita Suzune's cheeks flushed even redder, and she awkwardly looked away.

So... he really had seen through me?

I tried so hard to hide it. I can't believe I still couldn't escape his notice...

She pressed her lips together and didn't ask for any more details.

What was done was done. Digging into exactly how obvious she had been would only make her feel more embarrassed.

She sighed softly, set aside the thoughts roiling inside her, and quietly quickened her pace. Then she continued toward the dormitory with Akiyama Shin.

The streetlights stretched their shadows, weaving them together before pulling them apart again.

They walked the rest of the way in silence.

Back at the dormitory, the elevator arrived. After a brief goodbye to Horikita Suzune, Akiyama Shin returned to his room.

He closed the door, shutting out the noise outside. The room was once again pristine and quiet.

Only a faint trace of the Chinese food they'd had for dinner still lingered in the air.

He had just sat down at his desk to sort through his thoughts when his Terminal vibrated again.

It was a message from Kushida Kikyo.

[Kushida Kikyo]: Hey... could I come over tonight?

Akiyama Shin looked at the straightforward, simple message without the slightest surprise.

He understood Kushida Kikyo's state of mind.

For an ordinary person at an age when hormones were surging, it was perfectly natural to become fascinated by and dependent on the powerful physical and emotional impact of experiencing intimacy for the first time.

Especially for someone like Kushida Kikyo, who had suppressed her feelings for a long time and was desperately searching for an outlet and something to lean on.

That instinctive attraction and temporary sense of belonging made it even easier for her to get carried away.

He didn't hesitate, replying with a simple message.

[Akiyama Shin]: ok

On the sixth floor, in one of the girls' dorm rooms.

Kushida Kikyo looked at the brief, almost cold reply and froze for a moment. Then she puffed out her cheeks and cursed.

"That jerk! Always acting so cool! He can't even spare one extra word!"

Still.

Despite her grumbling, the corners of her mouth lifted involuntarily, and a glimmer of anticipation and eagerness flashed in her eyes.

"Hmph! I'll make sure you behave yourself tonight!"

She put down her Terminal and began fixing her hair and clothes in front of the mirror, her heart inexplicably beating a little faster.

Inside Room 501.

After replying, Akiyama Shin got up and took a quick shower.

The warm water washed away the day's fatigue and cleared his mind.

He changed into a pair of loose shorts and stood bare-chested, a dry towel draped casually over his still-damp black hair.

He went to sit in the chair by the window. He didn't turn on the overhead light, leaving only a dim reading lamp on as he waited for his visitor in the quiet night.

During his brief time alone, his mind never stopped working. He began thinking about his plans.

He now had more than 4.79 million Personal Points, including the two million he'd just gotten from Horikita Manabu. It was a huge fortune and needed to be used wisely.

Chabashira Sae had said that points could buy anything at this school. Behind that vague claim, there had to be privileges that went beyond the ordinary.

For example... changing classes? Or... preventing an expulsion?

Changing classes had come up when Chabashira Sae called Akiyama Shin to the office and Hoshinomiya Chie had mentioned it.

He didn't know how many points it would take, but Akiyama Shin had ruled out that option from the very beginning.

He had promised Chabashira Sae that he would lead Class D to Class A. Changing classes halfway through would be tantamount to breaking his promise, and it was completely at odds with his plan to conquer this school.

But expulsion... that might be the key.

If a student truly faced expulsion, could they be bought back with a huge number of points?

And if so, how many would it take?

It was like having a trump card to save someone's life.

His own safety naturally came first, followed by the students in his class who had potential and were worth investing in.

Even Horikita Suzune, who seemed the most valuable at this stage, and Kushida Kikyo, with whom he had already formed a special connection, didn't have the highest priority.

Still, given their abilities and personalities, as long as they didn't deliberately cross the school's rules or get caught up in some uncontrollable incident, their risk of expulsion was quite low.

Horikita Suzune was fundamentally law-abiding. She was stubborn, but not foolish enough to challenge the rules.

But Kushida Kikyo...

At the thought of Kushida Kikyo, Akiyama Shin's gaze turned intent.

She was an unpredictable factor.

The negative emotions she had buried inside and her latent urge to destroy things were like a ticking time bomb.

Although last night's special punishment and what followed had made her develop an initial sense of dependence on Akiyama Shin, how long it would last and whether it would be enough to suppress her dark side remained uncertain.

Still, since she had become Akiyama Shin's first woman, he wouldn't let anything happen to her without a fight. If necessary, he would use his resources to keep her safe.

As his thoughts churned, a light knock at the door interrupted him.

Knock, knock, knock.

There was a barely perceptible urgency to the rhythm.

Akiyama Shin rose slowly, went to the door, and opened it.

Kushida Kikyo stood outside.

She seemed to have dressed up carefully. Her smooth, golden-brown hair fell to her shoulders, making her face look even cuter.

Her violet eyes shone brightly in the corridor light.

But when Kushida Kikyo saw Akiyama Shin standing there in nothing but a pair of loose shorts, his muscular upper body bare and his hair still damp, two bright spots of red instantly appeared on her cheeks.

"Y-you can't open the door dressed like that!"

She murmured a reproach, but didn't hesitate for a moment. Almost as soon as she finished speaking, she reached out and shoved Akiyama Shin back into the room. Then she slipped inside after him and shut the door with a click.

Once inside, Kushida Kikyo looked up at Akiyama Shin from close range, her heart pounding.

She took a deep breath, rose onto her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around Akiyama Shin's neck, and pressed her soft lips to his.

"Mmph...!"

The kiss was a little forceful and clumsy.

But it was intensely passionate.

Akiyama Shin was slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected Kushida Kikyo to be in such a hurry, but he soon responded naturally.

After a long while, when they were both breathing unevenly, Kushida Kikyo finally drew back a little.

Their lips parted, drawing out a thin strand of saliva.

Her cheeks were flushed, and she gazed up at Akiyama Shin with unfocused eyes, her chest rising and falling slightly.

Looking at the girl in his arms, so bold and yet so shy, Akiyama Shin found that the usually expressionless face of his had, for some reason, formed a rare, unmistakable smile.

It was different from his usual cool expression, carrying a hint of genuine amusement, as if she had pleased him.

Kushida Kikyo stared at that smile, momentarily dazed.

Then the world suddenly spun.

"Ah!"

Akiyama Shin bent down without warning and effortlessly lifted her into his arms.

Then, as if she were a sack, he slung her light body over his broad shoulder.

"Hey! What are you doing? Put me down!"

Kushida Kikyo was embarrassed and flustered. She pounded his back with her little fists, but his strong arms were like iron hoops, not budging an inch.

Akiyama Shin ignored her entirely unthreatening protests, carried her over to the bed, and tossed her onto the soft, neatly made covers—not particularly gently, as though she were an object.

Thump.

Kushida Kikyo sank into the soft bedding. Before she could complain, Akiyama Shin had already leaned over her, bracing his hands on either side of her body and pinning her between the bed and himself.

His dark red eyes, deep as whirlpools in the dim yellow light, held her fast.

Lying on the familiar bed, Kushida Kikyo breathed in the clean, crisp scent that belonged only to Akiyama Shin. It made her feel safe, yet stirred her heart.

She couldn't help muttering, trying to cover her inner fluster and racing heartbeat with words.

"At first... I thought you were using some kind of expensive cologne..."

"But is it just your natural scent?"

Akiyama Shin paused at that, then smiled a little more. He had never noticed any particular scent on himself.

"Maybe."

He replied softly, his tone a little languid.

Their eyes met.

A wordless tension filled the air.

Kushida Kikyo looked at his handsome face so close to hers, felt the heat of his body and breathed in that pleasant scent. Her small irritation and teasing from before had already vanished, leaving only her quickening heartbeat and increasingly dazed eyes.

Akiyama Shin said nothing more, simply gazing at her in silence.

As the night deepened, the lights in Room 501 quietly went out.

They spent the night in silence.